Chapter 262: Dispatching Troops
Captain Sun excels at leading troops, has rich combat experience, and can make decisions at critical moments.
Tao Feng served in the Beiping Army for many years, fought against the Xiongnu Barbarians, and is familiar with the terrain of Liaoxi Commandery.
Having the two of them serve as scouts, no one among the crowd had any objections.
Pei Qinghe solemnly ordered: “You two remember, the mission of this trip is to scout where the Xiongnu Barbarians are stationed, their troop strength, and the situation of the Liaoxi Army. Do not act on your own. You only have two hundred people, do not act impulsively.”
Captain Sun and Tao Feng bowed and accepted the order.
Pei Qinghe added: “When in doubt, you two discuss it. If your opinions differ, follow Captain Sun’s.”
Tao Feng knew his own limitations and readily agreed.
Captain Sun was entrusted with a heavy responsibility, showing no fear or panic whatsoever. He raised his eyes and met his general’s gaze: “I will certainly not fail the general’s high expectations.”
Pei Qinghe’s trust and high regard for Captain Sun were seen by all. Apart from Pei Yun, Pei Yan, and Mao Hongling, the most highly valued outsider was Captain Sun. Gu Lian and Feng Chang were initially displeased, but over these years, with Captain Sun repeatedly earning merits, the two of them had no choice but to submit.
The discussion lasted until midnight, and the crowd dispersed.
Pei Yun softly said to Pei Qinghe: “For this battle, how confident are you?”
In front of others, Pei Qinghe was confident, calm, and composed, boosting the morale of her elite soldiers under her command and making the Guangning Army and Pingyang Army feel reassured as well. At this question from Pei Yun, Pei Qinghe finally shed her impenetrable armor and lightly sighed: “At most fifty percent.”
“That Li Gouzei of the Liaoxi Army is greedy and shameless, but he does have some skill in leading and training troops. The Liaoxi Army has nearly thirty thousand elite soldiers. Against the Xiongnu Barbarians, they suffered a complete defeat after just a few days.”
“With the Liaoxi Army’s great defeat, the common people of Liaoxi Commandery were utterly doomed.”
“For this battle, I have no assurance, yet I cannot not come.”
“With my ambition to aspire to conquer the land, I must shoulder the heavy responsibility of guarding the territory and protecting the common people. If I cower in fear and avoid battle, clinging to my own plot of land while ignoring the common people of Liaoxi Commandery, what difference is there from General Zhang cowering in Bohai Commandery or the Emperor?”
Those who would wear the crown must first bear its weight.
To seize the realm, one must possess the true bearing of a king.
Pei Yun looked at Pei Qinghe with her resolute gaze and was momentarily speechless. After a long while, she finally spoke to break the silence: “Good, let’s stake it all this time. If we win a victory, the entire Youzhou will belong to the Pei Family Army afterward. If we lose, at least we will have done our utmost. We can flee into the Yan Mountains to hide for a few years; as long as the Pei Family Army banner stands, we can recruit troops and trade to rise again.”
Pei Qinghe laughed: “My parents gave me life, but Pei Yun truly understands me.”
Pei Yun also laughed: “At a time like this, still cracking jokes.”
“Since we’ve come, we must fight with all our might.” Pei Qinghe smiled: “For the next few days, we will slow our marching speed, covering forty li per day. Once Captain Sun and Tao Feng scout the enemy situation clearly, we will march rapidly.”
Pei Yun nodded.
Snoring sounds rose beside her ears.
Pei Qinghe turned her head and couldn’t help but chuckle. Pei Yan had fallen asleep at some point.
“You and I are weighed down with worries, but Pei Yan has no such concerns and falls asleep the moment her head hits the pillow.” Pei Yun was amused yet exasperated.
Pei Qinghe pulled over some bedding and covered Pei Yan properly: “This is pretty good too. It’s so late; we should sleep early as well.”
During the march, tents were limited, with ten people squeezed into each tent. In Pei Qinghe’s military tent, three people also had to sleep.
Pei Qinghe closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.
The next day at the fifth watch, the crowd packed up the tents and ate a hot breakfast. Over twenty thousand people marched grandly toward Liaoxi Commandery.
Birds and beasts were startled and fled far away; petty thieves and bandits did not dare show their faces at all.
After marching like this for three days, they finally reached the border of Liaoxi Commandery.
Before receiving news from Captain Sun and Tao Feng, an unexpected piece of good news arrived.
“The Fanyang Army has also sent troops?” Pei Qinghe was somewhat surprised and raised an eyebrow: “Where are they?”
“The one leading the troops is General Lu’s eldest son Lu Feng, with a total of three thousand elite soldiers. However, they have few cavalry and are mostly infantry, so their marching speed is not fast. It will take at least two days for them to catch up to us.” The messenger Zhai Sanlang beamed with joy.
It was no wonder Zhai Sanlang was so delighted. Even the rough Pei Yan grinned, baring her teeth: “The Fanyang Army played turtle last year and refused to send troops. This year they are willing to send soldiers.”
Pei Qinghe smiled faintly.
Last year and this year were of course different.
Last year, the Xiongnu Barbarians seemed invincible and ferocious in everyone’s minds. She led the Pei Family Army to defeat the Xiongnu Barbarians and publicly killed the Xiongnu Commander Wu Yan, thoroughly shattering the myth of the Xiongnu Barbarians’ invincibility.
This year, the Xiongnu Barbarians entered the pass, bypassing Beiping Commandery and Yan Prefecture, and specifically came to Liaoxi Commandery. It showed that the Xiongnu Barbarians also did not want to clash head-on and sought to pick on the weak.
General Lu was not foolish at all; after weighing the options, he ultimately made the decision at this critical moment. These three thousand elite soldiers were General Lu’s pledge of allegiance.
“Pei Yun!” Pei Qinghe turned and instructed: “Go in my stead to welcome the Fanyang Army. We will rest here and wait for the Fanyang Army to join us.”
Pei Yun loudly accepted the order and led one camp of people away on fast horses.
Pei Qinghe ordered the entire army to halt and rest.
After more than ten days of continuous marching for over twenty thousand people, with men and horses exhausted, the news of setting up camp on the spot spread, and everyone was overjoyed.
Pei Qinghe then summoned Shi Yan: “The Fanyang Army has brought another three thousand; is there enough military rations?”
The Fanyang Army surely brought their own military rations. However, no one knew how long the battle would last. Military rations must be prepared sufficiently.
Shi Yan took out a small abacus of red gold and fiddled with it for a moment: “When we set out, all stored grain was brought. Even with three thousand more, it is enough for half a year.”
This was based on the worst-case scenario. In fact, the Xiongnu Barbarians had never fought a war lasting more than half a year.
Pei Qinghe breathed a sigh of relief and, seeing Shi Yan’s reddened eyes, felt some heartache: “You’ve worked hard these days.”
Shi Yan smiled softly: “To march with you is the dream I’ve longed for day and night. Supplying and managing grain and fodder for the army is also something I enjoy doing. I don’t feel the least bit tired.”
In front of the crowd, the two could not be overly intimate and merely exchanged silent smiles.
Taking advantage of the army’s rest, the kitchen was bustling, with dozens of stoves lit, busy stir-frying military rations. Short on personnel, male and female soldiers who could cook were drafted from the army to help. The stove fires burned for two days without stopping, and the fragrance of the stir-fried military rations wafted ten li.
Lu Feng led the three thousand Fanyang Army troops and arrived following the scent of the military rations.
That day when General Lu led troops to attack Pei Family Village, Lu Feng had not gone along. This was Lu Feng’s first time seeing Pei Qinghe.
Lu Feng inevitably made the mistake many had made, mistaking the dark, sturdy, and fierce Pei Yan for General Pei.
Only when Pei Yun bowed and folded hands to Pei Qinghe did Lu Feng react, his heart jolting in shock.
